Consecration Coin of Constantine I, Uncertain Mint 347 - 348

Editor: This is a Consecration Coin of Constantine I, an uncertain mint location, but part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. It’s weathered, but you can still see the portrait and figure. What can you tell me about this coin's production and its role in society? Curator: Well, consider the bronze itself. Its extraction, smelting, and the coining process represent labor and resources mobilized to project imperial power. The coin isn’t just currency; it's a tool of propaganda, consumed and circulated throughout the empire. Editor: Propaganda? How so? Curator: Think about the imagery, likely divine, and its implicit claim to authority. This object links earthly rule with the supernatural, all while being exchanged for goods and services. What does that tell us about value in the Roman Empire? Editor: It's fascinating how a small object like this can tell us so much about labor, belief, and power. Thanks for shedding light on this, it gives a lot to consider. Curator: Absolutely! Examining the material conditions behind artistic production really unlocks deeper insights.